A clinical display from Clonaslee, orchestrated by Niall Corbet, was enough to see them safely into the semi-finals of the Laois IFC with a big win over The Rock in Mountmellick.

Corbet finished with 1-8 and set up the other three Clonaslee goals, as the winners recovered from a slow start to win at a canter.

In the opening exchanges it looked as though The Rock were going to win dominate the game, as they swarmed Clonaslee and built up a healthy early lead. Paul Allen had pointed for them before 20 seconds had elapsed, and then Aaron Dowling doubled their lead inside the opening minute.

Two more points quickly followed from The Rock, as they were in control all over the field and refusing to give Clonaslee a sight at goal at the other end of the field. When Shane O’Connell pointed in the eighth minute they lead 0-5 to 0-0, and you’d have had a job on your hands believing the game would develop in the manner it did.

The key for Clonaslee was getting Niall Corbet into the game, and his influence duly began to grow. He pointed in the ninth minute to open the Clonaslee account, and then jinked away from his marker to double his tally moments later.

He then set up Glen McEvoy for their third point, but The Rock hit back with an Aaron Dowling free and soon followed it up with another from Shane O’Connell. That saw them lead 0-7 to 0-3 after 14 minutes, but remarkably, they would only manage one more point before the end of the game.

Clonaslee came roaring into the game after that, as Glen McEvoy set up Corbet for the opening goal of the game. Darren Hogan then kicked the leveler from 35 yards, and it was one-way traffic after that.

A brilliant pass from Corbet off the outside of his right boot floated over The Rock defence to find Niall Hogan, and he duly finished to the bottom corner. Willie Young and Glen McEvoy tacked on points and then Corbet set up Robert Downey for their third goal.

A final point, from a Corbet free, saw Clonaslee take a commanding 3-7 to 0-7 to the dressing rooms at half time.

The Rock needed to spring to life quickly when play resumed, but Clonaslee were in total control and just pulled further and further away. Corbet opened the scoring for the half with a lovely point from the right wing, and then a brilliant John Rigney pass allowed Niall Hogan to add another point.

The competitive element had gone out of the game by now, and Clonaslee rattled off six more points without reply in a lacklustre affair. The Rock’s only score of the second half came in the 50th minute, through Shane O’Connell, but it was barely a consolation at this stage.

Things got worse for them after that, as full-back James McDonald was sent off and then, with the last act of the game, sub Seamus Rosney fielded Niall Corbet’s long-range free in the area and kicked the ball to the net.